October 22, 2010

It's a busy weekend on the club scene, but my best bet from the bounty of offerings is the reversed-roles, new-millennial update on that legendary pairing of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood: Belle and Sebastian ork-pop veteran Isobel Campbell (who steers and controls the project) and former Screaming Tress and Queens of the Stone Age vocalist Mark Lanegan (the pretty voice). Touring in support of their third album Hawk, the duo performs tonight at Lincoln Hall after an opening set by Willy Mason at 10 p.m. Tickets are $17 (and be sure to check out Greg Kot's illuminating chat with Campbell in the Chicago Tribune.)

Returning to Chicago to headline at Metro tonight, a much more hospitable venue than the viaduct where the group played at its "surprise" corporate-sponsored gig a few weeks ago, Bradford Cox and his exquisite psychedelic-pop band Deerhunter perform after opening sets by Casino vs. Japan and Real Estate starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are $19.

Meanwhile, Metro's sister club Double Door is hosting a gonzo/psychedelic/art-rock band from a different era, the Legendary Pink Dots, who are on tour celebrating their 30th anniversary since the infamous vocalist, songwriter, and keyboardist Edward Ka-Spel formed the group in London. The show starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are $15 or $25.

Last year, Tony "Shark" Labarbera, a fixture at the late, lamented heavy-metal roadhouse the Thirsty Whale, held a reunion for fans, friends, and former fixtures of the place to celebrate its hard-rocking legacy. It was a hit, and there'll be an encore party this year starting at 6 this evening and 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at Shark City, 2240 Bloomingdale Road in Glendale Heights, with two stages each night and an endless roster of bands including Enuff Z'nuff, 7th Heaven, Slam Bang, Cutlass, and Paradoxx. Tickets are $20, and more info can be found here.

Longtime local legends in a different genre, power-pop heroes Greentop the bill at the Abbey Pub on Saturday night in what amounts for them to a flurry of activity, coming on the heels of their last gig in June. Fast-moving, tireless, and unremitting in their self-promotion? Maybe not so much, but there are few better than Jeff Lescher and the boys at working this gorgeous, chiming terrain, and they deserve the nice tribute that Thomas Conner just gave them in the Sun-Times. Ladies and Gentlemen and Hushdrops open at 9 p.m., and tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

Finally, instrumental rockersPelican, one of the most hard-hitting bands in Chicago, will celebrate their 10th anniversary with the release of a 10-LP box set via Germany's Viva Hate Records and two special shows in Los Angeles and, on Saturday night, in their hometown at the Bottom Lounge. Swan King and the Life and Times open at 9 p.m., and tickets are $13.50.